Rack



J. E. HOLMES Feb. 22, i949.

RACK

Filed D60. 19, 1945 fg Il Patented Feb. 22, 1949 RACK John E. Holmes,Anburndale, Mass., assignor to Clarence W. Carlson, Atlantic, Mass.V

Applieatien neeember 1s, 1945, serial No. 635,954

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to racks for use in holding and displayingarticles, particularly wearing apparel such as womens dresses and it hasfor its object to provide an adjustable rack of this description whichwill be of simple, inexpensive, attractive and eicient construction.

To this end I have provided an improved display rack of the characterdescribed which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, may beconstructed as set forth in the following descrption, it beingunderstood that modifications of the invention not herein disclosed arevintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims bywhich the several features of the invention are separately pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings:v

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a rack constructedin accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises a rectangularwooden frame consisting of a base I on top of which are rigidly fastenedthe lower ends of a pair of relatively parallel spaced-apart verticalside members or standards II, II, whose upper ends are rigidly connectedby a top cross-bar or lintel I 2.

Each standard II includes, as a part thereof, an elongate longitudinallydisposed apertured metal channel member I 3 that is about three feetlong and xedly fastened by screws I4 to the inner side of its standardwith its upper end abutting cross-bar I2. These two metal members I3 arepreferably bars of channel iron each of which is disposed with itsflanges fitted edgewise against its standard so that its web I3a isspaced away from the standard as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

The web I3a of each metal member I3 is provided with a longitudinal rowor series of spacedapart key hole slots I4a having their smaller endsdisposed lowermost with each slot of one member disposed horizontallyopposite one of the slots of the other member.

The key hole slots I4a are provided for the reception of studs I5 and I6provided at the opposite ends of one or more, usually a plurality, ofcross-bars I'I each of which comprises an intermediate chromium platedmetal tube I8, a chromium plated cap I9 driven into position upon oneend of said intermediate tube I1 and permanently xed in position thereonby a screw 20 (Fig. 4), and a -chromium plated cap 2l telescopically andloosely associated with the opposite end of tube I8.

The stud I6 of cap I9 is circular in cross-section and provided as anaxially disposed integral extension of cap I9 (Fig. 4), while the studI5 is also circular in cross-section and made as an axially disposedintegral extension of the` c ap 2| (Fig. 3). e l

Within the end of tube I8 that is associated with cap 2l there is weldedor otherwise permanently xed an interiorly threadedl bushing 22 (Fig. 3)that is occupied by an axially disposed threaded stern 23 that is anintegral part 0i cap 2l.

The shank portion of each stud I5 and I6 is of a diameter slightly lessthan the width of the lower relatively narrow portion of each slot I4aand each of said studs is provided at its free end with a radial ilange24 whose diameter is slightly less than the size of the partly-circularupper relatively larger end portion of the slot.

To prepare a cross-bar I'I for installation within the above describedframe the cap 2I is screwed on to tube I8 until the distance between theextremities of studs I5 and I6 is less than the distance between the twometal members I3 whereupon one of the two studs is inserted within oneof the slots I 4a of one member I3 and permitted to drop to the bottomthereof after which the cap 2| is screwed outwardly relatively to tubeI8 while maintaining the other stud in register with the upper end ofthe corresponding slot I4a of the other member I3. When the hanged endof said last-mentioned stud is entirely within its channel member I3 itis permitted to descend to the lower end of its slot after which cap 2Iis screwed outwardly relatively to tube I8 until the two caps at theopposite ends of the latter are forcibly clamped against the two membersI3. The cross-bar is thus rigidly xed in position within the rectangularframe so that it cannot be displaced when garments are hung thereon orremoved therefrom.

The described construction provides for bodily vertical adjustment ofthe cross-bars I'l relatively to the frame and also relatively to eachother according to the size and type of the garments in order that thelatter may be displayed to the best advantage.

The flanges 24 positively lock the studs Within the slots I4a while saidstuds are within the lower parts of the slots and cannot be withdrawnexcept by adjustment of cap 2| while the cross-bar that is to be removedis held near the limit of its 3 upward movement relatively to the pairof slots that are occupied by its studs. While inserting or removing oneof the cross-bars the stud at one end thereof will rst be insertedwithin a slot I 4a of one channel and maintained at the bottom of saidslot while the cap 2l is adjusted either to insert its stud into a slotof the proximate channel or to remove it therefrom and during` thisoperation the flange 24 of therst-mentioned stud at the opposite end ofthe bar'will prevent said stud from slipping out of its slot.

What I claim is:

As a. new article of manufacture, a rack of the',v

character described, comprising an upright rectangular frame including apair ofV vertical spaced-apart uprights each of which has fixed upon itsinner side an elongated vertically ,disposed metallic channel memberWhose flanges are seated edgewise against its upright and whose web isformed with a vertical series of spacedapartfstud-'receiving keyhole-slots disposed with theirr narrower ends f lowermost vand. witheach slot horizontally opposite one of lthe slots of the otherchannelmember; a longitudinally extensible and icontractible article-supportingcrossbar including a tubular intermediate element havingY a cap membertelescopically and rotatably tted upon the exterior of one end thereofand a cap member telescopically andxedly mounted 'upon 4the ioppositeend thereof; one of said capimembers beingjprovided upon its outer endwithan axial 1 flanged stud adapted to be removably tted'lnto'aslot ofoneof said channel members andV the-other cap member being vpro,b

so that when rotated relatively thereto in the opposite direction it isadjusted longitudinally 1 thereof in the opposite direction to free saidarticle-supporting cross-bar for removal.

JOHN E. HOLMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord inthe file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Denning Oct. 3, 1916 Vaudreuil Feb. 19,1918 Sostheim May 22, 1928 Pannier Oct. 21, 1930 Fenstermaker Augxlf,1932 FOREIGN PATENTS i Country Date Great Britain4 1914 Great BritainMay'25,.1922

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